Chicago Bulls free-agent targets that have played for Billy Donovan: Nerlens Noel
Nerlens Noel played under Billy Donovan for two seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder. That was before he averaged a career-high in blocks per game (2.2) with the New York Knicks last season.
Noel might be a bit too ambitious for the price tag the Bulls will be able to offer a backup center but he is worth trying to convince at the very least. The 27-year-old big man appeared in 138 games in his two seasons under Donovan, including nine starts.
Over those two seasons, he averaged 6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. He did that in just 15.6 minutes per contest.
Noel would be a perfect backup center on the Bulls roster behind Nikola Vucevic. He is a true rim protector who not only swats shots but alters any attempts that are put up near the rim. That is exactly what the Bulls need from their backup center moving forward.
With Daniel Theis likely on his way to a bigger payday than the Bulls can afford, Noel should be one of the big men the team targets in free agency. His inability to play the four and stretch the floor, both of which Theis can do, could make his price tag more in the range the Bulls can afford.
While Noel and Vooch would not be able to see the floor together, they would make a nice one-two punch of offense and defense that Donovan can use to his advantage. If Noel were to take a team-friendly deal he would provide the Bulls with the depth they desperately need behind the offensive-minded Vucevic.